Dan Johnson, who was accused of sexually abusing a member of his Heart of Fire Church in Fern Creek, said in a press conference that the allegation "absolutely has no merit." Days after the accusations were reported, Johnson died by suicide.
Marty Pearl/Special to CJ

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"The people who run for office are just people, and there are no perfect people," said State Rep. Dan Johnson as he spoke to the media Tuesday morning from his Heart of Fire Church. "I think there are people who have taken that and used it as political rocks to be thrown." Johnson said sexual abuse allegations made in an article published by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting are "without merit."(Photo: Matt Stone, Louisville Courier Journal)Buy Photo

"This allegation concerning this lady, this young girl, absolutely has no merit, these are unfounded accusations, totally," state Rep. Dan Johnson, R-Mount Washington, said at a press conference at his church attended by family, campaign volunteers and members of his congregation.

Johnson, a self-anointed "pope" of his congregation, is accused of sexually abusing a member of Heart of Fire Church in the Fern Creek area when she was 17.

The woman, who is now 21, alleges Johnson molested her after a New Year’s party in 2012, according to a wide-ranging report on Johnson published Monday by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting.

Courier Journal is not naming the woman because it has not independently verified her statements and because she says she was a victim of sexual abuse.

After opening his press conference with a rendition of "O Come All Ye Faithful" sung by the church choir, Johnson said his wife and daughters were close to the young woman. He said the woman was a church member whom he claims was upset about how he spoke to the girls that night.

"I don't want to blast this girl, I have a lot of compassion for her," Johnson said. "I'm very sorrowful that she's in this dark place in her life."

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"The people who run for office are just people, and there are no perfect people," said State Rep. Dan Johnson as he spoke to the media Tuesday morning from his Heart of Fire Church. "I think there are people who have taken that and used it as political rocks to be thrown." Johnson said sexual abuse allegations made in an article published by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting are "without merit."
Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal

"The people who run for office are just people, and there are no perfect people," said State Rep. Dan Johnson as he spoke to the media Tuesday morning from his Heart of Fire Church. "I think there are people who have taken that and used it as political rocks to be thrown." Johnson said sexual abuse allegations made in an article published by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting are "without merit."
Matt Stone, Louisville Courier Journal

"The people who run for office are just people, and there are no perfect people," said State Rep. Dan Johnson as he spoke to the media Tuesday morning from his Heart of Fire Church. "I think there are people who have taken that and used it as political rocks to be thrown." Johnson said sexual abuse allegations made in an article published by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting are "without merit."
Matt Stone, Louisville Courier Journal

"The people who run for office are just people, and there are no perfect people," said State Rep. Dan Johnson as he spoke to the media Tuesday morning from his Heart of Fire Church. "I think there are people who have taken that and used it as political rocks to be thrown." Johnson said sexual abuse allegations made in an article published by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting are "without merit."
Matt Stone, Louisville Courier Journal

"The people who run for office are just people, and there are no perfect people," said State Rep. Dan Johnson as he spoke to the media Tuesday morning from his Heart of Fire Church. "I think there are people who have taken that and used it as political rocks to be thrown." Johnson said sexual abuse allegations made in an article published by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting are "without merit."
Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal

"The people who run for office are just people, and there are no perfect people," said State Rep. Dan Johnson as he spoke to the media Tuesday morning from his Heart of Fire Church. "I think there are people who have taken that and used it as political rocks to be thrown." Johnson said sexual abuse allegations made in an article published by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting are "without merit."
Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal

"The people who run for office are just people, and there are no perfect people," said State Rep. Dan Johnson as he spoke to the media Tuesday morning from his Heart of Fire Church. "I think there are people who have taken that and used it as political rocks to be thrown." Johnson said sexual abuse allegations made in an article published by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting are "without merit."
Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal

Judah Johnson supports his mother Rebecca Johnson as she answers questions about her husband, Ky. Rep. Dan Johnson, after he gave a press conference at the couple's Heart of Fire church in Fern Creek Tuesday morning. "The people who run for office are just people, and there are no perfect people," said State Rep. Dan Johnson as he spoke to the media Tuesday morning from his Heart of Fire Church. "I think there are people who have taken that and used it as political rocks to be thrown."
Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal

Ky. Rep Dan Johnson walks downstairs after giving a press conference to media regarding sexual abuse allegations reported in a recent article by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting."The people who run for office are just people, and there are no perfect people," said Johnson as he spoke to the media Tuesday morning from his Heart of Fire Church. "I think there are people who have taken that and used it as political rocks to be thrown."
Matt Stone, Louisville Courier Journal

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Johnson, who represents parts of Bullitt County, said the woman's claims are partly motivated by his political opponents and his support of conservative causes. He claimed the woman was a supporter of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race and supports abortion rights.

"This is an assault on all real people, there's no perfect people and you get into office and all of sudden political hacks come against you and start accusing you after you're in office," Johnson said.

He acknowledged that he sent a Facebook message to the woman in January 2013 saying he couldn't remember what happened New Year's night because he was "drugged" at a local bar.

Asked why he didn't file a police report, Johnson said, "I'm not trying to bring accusations against a bar." He later said at the press conference that he did recall what happened the night in question and that he never entered the room where the young woman was sleeping.

The allegations caused a flurry of condemnations from both Republicans and Democrats, and members of both parties have called for Johnson's resignation.

He also was asked by the GOP to quit his House race last year after racially insensitive images were posted, and later removed, from his Facebook page. The pictures included, among other things, depictions of former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as monkeys.

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Rebecca Johnson said the people of Bullitt County want someone to represent their values.
Marty Pearl/Special to CJ

Mac Brown, chairman of the Republican Party of Kentucky, said in a statement this week that the sexual abuse story was "extensively sourced" and that Republicans "once again find ourselves in a position where we must call for him to resign, this time, from the Kentucky General Assembly."

Mary Nishimuta, executive director of the Kentucky Democratic Party, called on Johnson to step down immediately on Monday. "This is indicative of a corrupt culture in Frankfort that the Republican Party continues to accept," she said. "Kentucky’s families deserve better.”

And Republican House leaders, including Speaker Pro Tempore David Osborne, said in a statement that the latest allegations were "shocking" and that Johnson should resign. The group said the "victim’s statements, made on the record in her own name, are compelling and deeply troubling."

Johnson said Tuesday that he hopes House members do not seek to remove him from office and that it would be a double standard compared to how the legislature handled allegations against state Sen. Julian Carroll, D-Frankfort, a former governor, who is accused of groping and propositioning a man in 2005.

Senate Democrats called for Carroll to resign and stripped him of his leadership post, but there's been little talk of removing him from office.

The Johnson scandal comes as major figures in film, media and politics also have been accused of wrongful behavior, and some have lost their positions, including Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, film director James Toback, journalist and author Mark Halperin and NPR executive Michael Oreskes.

Johnson said he doesn't believe that women have lied in every other national case of sexual harassment or assault. But mentioning claims made against President Donald Trump and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore of Alabama, Johnson said there is a "season" of accusations in politics and that it currently involves sexual misconduct.

"If that's the case, Frankfort may have a bunch of empty seats if it runs off of just accusations," Johnson said. "It would be a hard place to fill the seats in the Senate, House and anywhere else."

Johnson also said he is offended by "the fact that Bullitt County is looked down on because it is an area that is 97 percent white. What makes that a bad community?"

Johnson, who beat out Democratic incumbent Linda Belcher for his House seat by less than 200 votes last year, said that he will continue with his re-election plans for next year.

Reporter Thomas Novelly can be reached at 502-582-4465. Reporter Phillip M. Bailey can be reached at 502-582-4475. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/philb.